A meeting in the first week of 2016 laid the platform for a decade-long affinity with Write a Book in a Day for Loreto Normanhurst, an all-girls secondary college on Sydney’s upper north shore.
Teacher-librarian, Rowena Bryce, has been there from the outset. New to the school in 2016, Rowena identified the competition as a way to build rapport with the students and subsequently volunteered to coordinate the activity.
Now, Rowena is well and truly dialled in, to the point where she arranges furniture in the library based on the needs of the students within each team!
Loreto’s crowning Write a Book in a Day moment came in 2017, when the ‘Kids 4 Kids’ made the Best Book shortlist for their ‘A Drafted Friendship’ publication, but when speaking about her favourite moments, Rowena believes the highlight is always in the twilight.
“The highlight for me is the end of the day, every year. Seeing the students cycle through their emotions throughout the day and then complete their projects is always a great feeling,” she says.
“When I open the file to see each of their books, I am always overwhelmed by the creativity and teamwork on display.
“10 years on, I still experience this sense of wonder, delight and relief when I look at the finished book that has been produced by each team.
When asked what keeps Loreto coming back to ‘WABIAD’, Rowena says its twofold.
“The students absolutely love the event. Many students return and take part in Write a Book in a Day for several years during their time at school. They love creativity and the teamwork.
“Additionally, the event provides a unique opportunity to build valuable skills in students. The unseen parameters of the stimulus is something they can take into the workforce. They also need to communicate and listen clearly and navigate any difference of opinion.”
Ten years means ten writing days at Loreto. Rowena says they’ve got it all worked out.
“Communication and organisation are key. Allowing plenty of time for students to organise themselves into teams is crucial, as is ensuring enough time for parents to sign permission slips. Meetings that involve reading the handbook in the lead-up are necessary as well.”
Loreto’s mission is to create ‘compassionate warriors, independent, articulate and compassionate women who are seekers of truth and doers of justice’. Rowena says Write a Book in a Day complements the teaching rubric and mission perfectly.
“Students who take part in Write a Book in a Day take away so much more than just a fully illustrated picture book. It contributes so well to our mission as it promotes so many qualities that we aim to see developed in each of our students, including creativity, independent thinking, grit and service.”
“I am so proud of all our Write a Book in a Day participants over the years for their hard work and compassionate attitude towards supporting children being treated for cancer.”